Automatic land-leveling device



s June 24, 193. L. w. EVERSMAN y 1,765,910

AUTOMATIC LAND LEVELING DEVICE June'24, 1930. L w EVERSMAN 1,765,916 AUTOMATIC LAND LEVELING DEVICE l Filed Aug. 5, 1929 ssneetssheer 2 June 24, 1930- L. w. EvERsMAN AUTOMATIGLAND LEVELING DEVICE Filed Aug. 5, 1929 s sheets-sheet s gmk@ i 20 ordinary Patented June 1930 UNITED STATI-:sY

PATENT oFFl-cs A LEWIs w. EVEBSMAN; or JULESBURC, .'CoLoRApo, AssIGfNoR 'ro THE EvERsAN MANUFACTURING COMPANLCF DENVER, Command A CORPORATION or COLORADO AUrrouATIC LAND-Lamme DEVICEA Application mea august 5, "1929. seriaiimvassm.

" This inventionv relates to an automatic land leveling device and has for its principal object the provision of an eiicient vde- Y yiee which can'be'drawn oyer uneven ground (j andfwhich will automatically regulate itself in the low portions ofthe ground .to bring it to a perfect level. n v y 'Another objectpof the vinvention is-to so construct the device that the operator `can regulate thev depth the scraper blade cuts without `effecting the automatic adjustment, in rcases where the'load becomes too 'great l y for the tractor 'or other pulling medium. A A further object ofthe device is to provide lan effective spring suspension-which will assist in raising thescraper 'blade and which cani-be manually controlled when required' so that the device can be used as an scraper' to gather and discharge earth at desired places. f 4 'A lstill further objectof the inventionl is to provide means vfor raising they scraper `blade andl'frameso that the device can be :'25 rendered inoperative whileI being transportedif -Other objects ad" advantages reside in the detail construction ofthe device 'which is designed for simplicity, economy, and efao iCienCy. These will become more apparent from ,the followingdescription. n l Y In the following detailed descriptionk of the invention reference is hadtothe accomv panying drawings which form' a part hereof.

` 36 Like numerals refer to like 'parts in all views of the drawings and throughout thefdescription. j

In the drawing: .Fig 1 is a planl 4o vice.

21s a. ,l Fig. 3k is lan enlarged cross section,

yon the line 3--3, Fig. 1. i

Fig. 4 is a vfragmentary longitudinal cross view `of the completevdeside elevation ofthe same.

taken v`4K5 sectionv taken on the line `4-4, Fig.v 1, illustratingy the action'of what will be hereinafter designated as the permanent set lever.

Fig. 5 is a similar crossy section, taken on the line 5,--5, Fig. 1, illustrating the action V of the manual control lever. In this View soas to cutoff ,the highportions an'd'fllly the operators seat and its supports have been omitted.

The invention comprises a rectangular frame 10 formedpreferably of channel iron and braced by suitable angle iron braces 11. Under theforward extremity of vthe frame I Q'afpointed `fender bar 12 is placed and under the rear extremity of the frame 10a dragplate 13 is positioned. The Ifender bar 12 is formed from kan angle iron positioned-so that its angle will'be pointed forwardly.'v Oney leg of the angle thus forms a beveledsurface which' willguide' the forwardextremity of the fraine 10 over irregularities' infthe ground. yThe'` drag plate 13" comprises a longitudinally bent plate which extends entirely across the rear of the frame 10 so astobreak .and smooth down clods, etc.

On each of the side members of the frame 10I and slightlyy to the rear of the center, bearingblocks 14 are 'secured to support bearings 15. Axle cranks l16 are journaled in,y each of the bearings 1,5. Each of the axle cranks 16' carries on its one extremity a: control wheel 17. `The opposite extremlties of. the two axle cranks are connected across' the .frame 10 by means of an axle tube 18. Thus, as the wheels 17 are forced upwardly vthe axle cranks 16'y will act to force the axle'tube 18 downwardly and vice versa.

`A( supporting angle iron 19 extends entirely across the frame 10"forward of the Wheels 17 and carries a series of U-shaped hinge members 20. Bent, channel shaped, blade supports 2.1 are hinged on hinge pins 22 in the hinge'members 20 and extend upwardly and rearwardly therefrom. An arthe supports 21 over the blade 23 in bearing Y plates 27 which are secured to the supports 21. The crank shaft 26 is provided adjacent its extremities with levers 28, the extremities of which connect with links 29, which f extend downwardly to a bearing 30 on the second lever 31, which extends substantially at right angles to the levers 28. The second lever 31 isy actuated through va connecting bar 32 @froma permanentsetlever p33. 4 The permanent set lever 33 is provided with a latch which coacts with a notched'segment 35 `uponone of the supports21to maintai the lever 33 in any desiredposition.. i When the permanent set lever 33 is movd rearwardly as indicated by the dot-'dash lines in Fig. 4, the connecting bar 32 will force the lever 31 backwardly. This "causes the shaft 26v to-rotate and force the levers28 downwardly so as to re-act againstthe axle tube 18 and lift all of the bladevmembers 21 together with the blade` 23 .as shown,y in Fig. 4. Whenitis moved forwardly,of course, the reverse of this operationwill take place andthe blade 23 willbe forceddownwardly. Thus, the relative positionvbetween the axle tube 18 and theblade .23 can be set by means of the lever 33. v The axle cranks 16 canbemanuallyoperatedby means of a manual lcontrol lever 36, which extends from a control shaft 37..` The control shaft t extends laterally t entirely across theframel() and is'supported v in .an elevated position uponbearingpedestals 38. Relatively'short actuating llevers 3,9 project from' the shaft 37adjacent. eachof itsextremities. ,From each axle crank 16 an axle lever A,40 extends upwardly immediately' insidefof the axle crank bearings p15., At each side of the device relatively Ilongbent connecting rods 41 extend from the upperexi tremities of theaxle levers 40 to a connection with the actuating levers 39. ,n l. i y

From the forward extremity of each fof the connecting rods 41 avspring rod 42 ex tends to a tension spring 43 which is secured tothe frame `10 in. a springkclip, 44.` vThe springs 43 constantly tend'toz, pull the `connecting rods v41 forwardlyand indoing so constantly urge the axlefcrankl 1650 as to force thewheels 17 downwardlyand assist in raising the axle tube 18 with its connecting mechanism. .l 1 l' d i As `thel control lever 36` is swung forwardly tothe rposition indicated in `Fig; 5, the connecting rods 4.1 willA kbe thrown forfwardly, assistedbythe springs43, and the axle cranks 16 will ybe rotated so asto force the wheels 17 downwardly and lift the en,- tire frame v1Q. This causes theaxle tube 18 to swing upwardly` and lift theblade 23, as illustrated in Fig. 5. -2 .E

.Aseat 45 is provided for .the operator which is carried yon a, rear extremity of `a seat beam 46, the forward vextremity of ,whichV is held downby meansof a seat strap 47. The seat beam-46 is Vsupportedupon a seat post 48 from the supporting channel19.

The device is drawn by means of horses or a tractor which are connected through any suitable draft gear such as indicated at "projections When the wheels drop into a lowspot or depression `they will actuatethe axle cranks lso'astocause the axle .tube

18 to raise the blade 23 an amount equal to `the depth of the depressions into which the 4 eightof'themound sothat the ground willbe automatically leveled lby the passage of the.` device.

c vShould the .operandi and hat hitracto -orteam is not ableA to pull the device` Ithrough the ,mounds at the depth to which the'wheels automatically set the blade, he In'aymove his set lever 33 .rearwardly so that the blade will `not `cut so deeply. On yhissecondpas- 'sage 'over this spot he canl then `set the lever 33 `forwardly so. 4,that they projections can be graded to a level. 1 .The set lever t' 33 is desired vto grade., the ground to 'a slightly higher level than that at Vwhich thefwheels are traveling so that the loosely gra-ded dirt willtherea ter. settle tov a level position. Thus, by use of theset leverv theoperator can ,definitely control ,the amount of cut or fill of his t scraper',` blade t 23 without effecting the automatic action of they axle'cranks 16, Should the operator'yde'sirefto use thedevice simply as a 'scraper' or `transporter of earth, .for instance, `where it is required to fill a; relatively `deep hole ordepression, he makes use of the control lever'36. Thus, by forcing the controllever ydownwardly he can' Cause theblade 23 tjdig and gather "a pile of earth. When he hasfreache'd the position for ldumpingthis earth he can raise and throw thecontrol lever forwardly, thusfrais ing the entire machine and' blade so asfto releasey the earth at the desired point. f l

vBy 'throwing the control lever 36 'to'. its extreme forward position, indicated in'Fig. 5, the blade 23 can bev automaticallylocked in the raised position. Thisresult's in `positioning the rearward pull of ythe blade weightpastthe dead center vof the actuating' levers 39, in 'which `position it will" be maintainedA by the springs43 until lthe'opery yator throwSfthe' control lever rearwardly to raise the levers 39 yfrom ytheir dead center position. y' "j ,t l' QWhile a specific form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein,

'it' isl desired to ,be understood thatthe same also yusedwheii it is wheels have dropped. When the wheels sol A.ses

messie may be varied, within the scope of the ap pended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent is 1. An automatic l-and leveling device comprising a frame; bearings carried by said frame; axle cranks rotatably maintained in said bearings; wheels supported on one extremity of said axle cranks; a scraper blade vertically actuated by the. other extremity of said axle cranks so that as said-.wheels move downwardly from said frame said blade will movekupwardly therein; blade supports extending forwardly from said blade; hinge members supporting the forward extremities of said supports so as to allow said blade to swing upwardly; a set lever carried by one of said supports; and an operative connection between said set lever and said axle crank so that movement of said set lever will change the relative p0.

sition of said blade to said axle crank.

" 2, An automatic land leveling device commove upwardly therein; means vfor forcing said wheels downwardly, said means comprising: axle levers projecting from said axle cranks; and springs arranged to dra upon said axle levers. w

3. An automatic land leveling device comprising: a frame; bearin s carried by said frame; axle cranks rotata ly maintained in said bearings; wheels supported on one extremity of said axle cranks; a scraper blade vertically actuated 'by the other extremity of said axle cranks so that as said Wheels move downwardly from said frame said blade will move upwardly therein; means for forcing said wheels downwardly, said means comprising: axle levers projecting from said axle cranks; springs arranged 'to draw upon said axle levers; and a control lever operatively connected to said axle levers so that said axle cranks can be manually rotated.

4. An automatic ground leveling device comprising: a frame; means for supporting said frame from the ground adjacent its forward and rearward extremities; axle cranks journaled at each side of said frame; wheels maintained on one extremity of said axle cranlsi; a cross axle member connecting the other extremityof said axle cranks across said frame; a supporting member extending across said frame forwardly of said wheels; blade supports `hinged to said supporting member and extending rearwardly therefrom; a scraper blade projecting downwardly from said blade supports; and an operative connection between said cross axle I cranks; a crossaxle member connecting the other extremity of said axle cranks across said frame; a supporting member extending across said frame forwardly of said wheels; blade supports hinged to said supporting member and extending rearwardly therefrom; a scraper blade projecting downwardly from said blade supports; and an operative connection between said cross, axle member and said blade so that rotation of said axle cranks will act to raise and lower said blade, said operative connection comprising: a crank shaft journaled'on and extending across said blade supports; a fixed lever projecting from said crankshaft; links connecting said levers to ,said cross axle member; and means for manually rotating said crank shaft.

6. An automatic ground leveling device comprising: a frame; means for supporting said frame from theground adjacent its for-A ward and` rearward extremities; axle cranks journaled at each side of said ftame; wheels maintained on one extremity of said axle cranks; a cross axle member connecting the other extremity of said axle cranks across said frame; a supporting member extending across said frame forwardly of said wheels; blade supports hinged to said supporting member and extending rearwardly'. therefrom; a scraper blade projecting downwardly lfrom said blade supports; and an operative connection between said cross axle member and saidblade so that rotation of said axle cranks will act to raise and lower said blade, said operative connection comprising: a crank shaft journaled on and extending across said blade supports; a fixed lever projecting from said crank shaft; links connecting said levers to said cross axle member; means for manually rotating said crank shaft, said latter means comprising: a lever extending upwardly from one of said blade supports; a second lever extending from-said crank shaft; a connecting bar extending between said latter levers, so that movement of said set lever will rotate said crank shaft.

in testimony whereof, I aiiix my signa ture.

LES W. EVERSMAN. 

